


The Greatest Gift

by hunters_retreat



Series: Further Interruptions [25]
Category: Fullmetal Alchemist - All Media Types
Genre: Ed is indulgent, F/M, M/M, Roy Is A Sap, Roy still has a government to run, Separate, The twins are an adorable menace
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-03
Updated: 2018-12-03
Packaged: 2019-09-06 00:32:33
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,410
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16821556
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hunters_retreat/pseuds/hunters_retreat
Summary: There was no stronger supporter in his life than his Gold, but his beloved did not stand alone.  His team, this family they had created together, was by far the greatest gift he had ever been given.





	The Greatest Gift

**Author's Note:**

> Yeah... this happened against my better judgment :P Ed and Roy are probably thinking the same thing...

“Führer Mustang, will Mr. Mustang-Elric be joining us today?”

Roy looked at the staff around him and as much as he wanted to share the news, he knew he couldn’t. Once he had his original team alone, he’d let them know, but for now, he needed to keep it quiet. 

“No. In fact, Fullmetal is taking an extended leave from the military.”

“That’s outrageous!” General Wagner cried out. “He can’t just walk away like that!”

“Edward Mustang-Elric is a contractor with the military’s Intelligence division,” Armstrong answered before Roy had to. “He is under no obligation with us at the moment and does not need to give notice to walk away.”

Wagner was always trying to find something to disparage Ed about and Roy was glad Alex had stepped in. 

Wagner fumed in his seat and Roy looked at his secretary who, he was certain, actually looked relieved that Ed wasn’t joining them. Roy didn’t blame him. Between the twins and walking in on a few – private – moments between Ed and himself, he was probably grateful to have a little peace and quiet on the trip.

“Ed decided to do some personal research in Xing and we felt the children would enjoy learning about the culture. Alphonse decided to stay as well instead of completing the rest of the trip with us. I’m afraid visiting within the borders of Amestris isn’t as exciting to 8-year-olds as a foreign country.

Now, what business, besides my wayward husband, do we have for today’s meeting?”

***

It was later that night that Roy was finally left alone in his personal train car to make the call he’d been wanting to make all day. The phone picked up and the line was redirected a couple times before he finally heard his husband’s voice on the other end of the receiver.

Of course, it was a shouted, “Give me that phone!”

“Hi Daddy!”

He chuckled because there was no remorse in his son’s voice and in the background, he could hear Tishy getting Ed’s attention and drawing him away from the phone conversation. His children were such a force to be reckoned with. 

“Hey Maes. Did you have fun today?”

“We mostly had to stick around inside today. Uncle Al says if everything goes well, he’ll take us out tomorrow.”

“So, you didn’t do anything interesting at all today?”

“Well, Tishy found this really old scroll hidden at the base of the Emperor’s throne and she took it and we were reading it when the Emperor found us. I don’t know how he did, because we were hidden really well. But then he saw the scroll, and his eyes got really big and I thought we were in really big trouble, but then he smiled and put his fingers to his lips and walked away before anyone could find us.”

“Does your Father have the scroll?”

“Yes. He’s going to ask the Emperor what it is before he lets us play with it. That’s not fair, because we found it.”

“Maes, just because you found something doesn’t make it yours.”

“But he gave it to us!”

“And if your Father thinks it’s safe, he’ll give it back, I’m sure.”

“Alright. Dad, when are we coming home?”

“Miss me already?” he teased his son.

“Yes!” He pouted. “I wanted to ride on the train again!”

“I promise you’ll get to ride on the train on the way home. But you’ll have a lot of fun in Xing.”

“But you aren’t here. I don’t like it when we aren’t together.”

“I know Buddy, me either.”

“Father worries about you when you aren’t with us.”

Roy sighed. “I know he does. But I promise to take care of myself and Aunt Hawkeye will make sure of it. And Aunt Gracia. Your Father has already recruited them because apparently the Führer of Amestris can’t take care of himself.”

Maes giggled on the other end of the phone. “Tishy wants to say hi. Love you Daddy! I’ll drawn you a picture!”

There was a short scuffle as the phone was dropped and then a background of “Maes, where are you going? Why are you climbing the bookcase?”

“I have to find crayons!”

“Daddy?”

“Hey Tishy, you doing okay?”

She laughed and he let out a deep breath. “Yeah. Can I draw you a picture too?”

“I would love that, honey. If you wanted, you could draw me a picture every day and your Father could send it to me.”

“Dad, Father is acting funny today.”

So that’s what Maes was doing in the background. Distracting Ed. 

“How so?”

“He just … he was all silly this morning and then he keeps grabbing us and snuggling with us and he didn’t even get mad when we found that scroll.”

“I think maybe he’s just excited to be in Xing a little longer. He and the Emperor are old friends.”

“He went away with Uncle Alphonse a while ago and Uncle Alphonse hasn’t been to see us all day.”

“Well, I’ll talk to your Father about that. But I’m sure Uncle Alphonse has a lot to do while he’s there. He’s one of the few people outside of Xing that have learned Alkahestry. There are things he wants to research while he’s there. And I think he’d like to visit with Mei at some point.”

“Oh, I forgot! That’s probably what they were doing. Planning! I get to go see Mei! Do you think she’ll buy me a pretty dress?”

“I thought you didn’t like pretty dresses?”

“Not Amestrian ones. Xing dresses are so pretty though. Father, wouldn’t I be pretty in one?”

He was grateful it was a phone call and not in person because he was pretty sure he’d be bankrupt just to buy her the pretty silk dresses she wanted. 

He had no doubt that somewhere, the ghost of Maes Hughes was laughing over this. 

“You are beautiful no matter what you wear. Though I suppose a pretty silk dress or two would fill out your closet well, wouldn’t it? With all the clothes you got in every other country we visited, you wouldn’t want to miss the last set.”

She giggled again. “I love you Daddy! I’m going to draw you a picture too!”

“Love you sweetheart.”

That was all he got before she was gone and then a heavy sigh filled the line. “They are more and more like you every day. Always a pain in my ass.”

There was so much affection in his husband’s voice though that he found himself smiling, no matter the ache it caused in him to be separated from them.

“It’s not too late you know. You can still call this off.”

“Too late. It’s done.”

Roy felt breathless at the thought. 

“We won’t know for a few weeks. Alphonse will keep an eye on her thought and there are tests he can perform once the signs start showing but. Yeah. We just have to wait and see if it worked.”

His throat felt too thick and he closed his eyes, trying to focus on his breathing.

“Roy, are you still there? Roy, shit, Mustang!”

“I’m fine,” he whispered. “I’m … just a little overwhelmed.”

“Yeah, I know how you feel.”

“I wish I was there with you,” Roy admitted. Not that Ed didn’t know that already.

There was a long pause on the other end of the phone. “I know. I wish you were here too. Someone has to rule the country though. No one is going to let you leave for nine months.”

“What am I going to do without you for so long?”

“Eat poorly and make unwise fashion choices?”

Roy laughed but he felt a little hollow. “You haven’t been gone this long since…”

“It’s for a good cause. You know, nothing but our kids could make me leave you again.”

“I know. I love you, Gold. Don’t know how I’m going to manage this long without you.”

“I imagine you’ll have to get a room ready. Discretely.”

“Madame is already stockpiling supplies,” he told his husband. “She’s thrilled that we’re making the attempt.”

“Of course she is. Like she hasn’t spoiled the first two brats like crazy.”

He laughed because it was right on the nose. Aunt Chris had been great with the twins. She didn’t care that they weren’t his biologically, just like she’d never treated him as less than her own son. He was so grateful to have her in his life. 

“There is, unfortunately, no one in our lives that we can count on to stop spoiling them anytime soon. Everyone does it.”

“Maybe Sheska and Alex, once they realize how horrible it is to spoil someone else’s kid and hand them back.”

“Possibly, but then when we spoil Mira and hand her back, they’ll just retaliate. And we’ll be outnumbered soon.”

There was a knock on the door and Roy watched as his original team filed into his train car.

“Ed, I have to go. The team is here.”

“Telling them already?”

“Telling them before they decided I’m an imposter. They know I’d never willing let you out of my sight for this long.”

“You’re such a sap.”

“I am. A horrible sap. Kiss my kids for me.”

“All day long,” Ed quipped.

“So Tishy told me. Better watch out because she’s already on to you.”

“Yeah. I was having a hard time not showing how excited I was.”

“Now it’s my turn.”

“Go tell them.”

“Love you, Ed.”

“Love you, Roy. Tell Hawkeye to remember what I said!”

“What did you tell her?”

“Kick your ass if you start moping too much.”

He laughed but as he set the phone in the cradle, the ache settled in again. Since the terrible two years when he’d lost Ed, they hadn’t been willingly separated. He missed his husband when he was gone overnight and he yearned for him when he was gone a week. When Ed had gone missing for three months, he’d come apart. He didn’t know how he was going to manage nine months. 

“Sir? The proof that you aren’t an imposter now?” Jean asked.

They were seated around the room. In all their years, they had never lost one of their own. They had come close and there were times when he thought promotions or transfers might take them away. On the rare occasion when they had, they eventually all ended up back where they’d started. They were Roy’s team. With the exception of Ed and Alphonse, and the never-ending presence of Maes’ ghost, they were all here.

“Were you all so worried about it?”

“Leaving Ed behind for research, maybe I could see that,” Breda answered for them. “But you left your husband, two kids, and your brother in law. There is no way you would do that without a really good reason.”

“To be blunt, Ed took me aside and said he would kick my ass if he came home and you weren’t ready,” Hawkeye said. “And then he hugged me, which was the most disturbing part.”

Roy shut his eyes but he couldn’t stop the small smile on his face.

“See, that’s even creepier,” Jean said. “You’re supposed to be ranting about the pipsqueak right about now.”

“Alright, alright. Yes, Fullmetal is staying in Xing for a reason.”

He took a deep breath. “We found a surrogate. Alphonse did the procedure today and if all goes well, Ed will be coming home in 9 months with a new baby.”

“Sir?” Hawkeye asked.

“With my baby.”

“That’s … that’s amazing!” Jean was the first to break the stunned silence and then everyone was talking at once, congratulating him and laughing.

Hawkeye was the only one who refrained. When the others noticed, they settled down. Roy just waited.

“Are you sure about this?”

“Too late to ask now.”

“A Mustang. Raised by Ed. Spoiled by Maes and Trisha. And Alphonse.”

“And Ling.” Mustang added. “The reason we stopped so long in Xing was because the surrogate is Lan Fan. She offered when they were last in Amestris. After some lengthy talks, we all agreed. No one is to know her identity. Not even the twins are going to know.”

“You’re worried about – “

“I won’t have a repeat of last time. And right now I’m more concerned about her safety until the baby is born. No one outside of this room knows. Ed is trying to keep it a secret from the twins.”

“Trying?”

“You know how bad he is at keeping anything from them,” Roy said. “Almost as bad as I am. Thankfully, Al is there and will keep them all out of trouble.”

“Is that the only reason Alphonse is staying?” Breda asked.

Roy smiled because Breda was still damn good at his job. “Ed is hoping that while he brings a new baby home, Alphonse will bring home a wife. And he’s going to get Tishy and Maes to help.”

“Is that such a good idea?” Fuery asked.

Roy shook his head. “I don’t know, but if they’re meddling in Alphonse’s personal life, hopefully they’ll be too busy to worry about what’s happening with Ed and I.”

As always happened, Falman came strolling back in the car and Roy couldn’t even tell when he’d walked out. He carried a tray with him though and he stopped to give everyone a champagne flute. 

Roy took one and watched the bubbles rise for a moment. He drank at social occasions and had the occasional glass with his husband from time to time now, but there had been a time when alcohol had been his captor. His life was so changed from those days. All thanks to his Gold.

“To Führer Mustang and his family. Congratulations on your newest addition. And God help us all.”

There was a ringing of laughter and a few more rounds of toasts before the cups were emptied and Roy was reminded, once again, that through all the dark and all the terrors that had stalked his life, there were always people at his side who cared. People who were willing to fight the same battles he was. People that were willing to fight not just with him, but for him too. 

There was no stronger supporter in his life than his Gold, but his beloved did not stand alone. His team, this family they had created together, was by far the greatest gift he had ever been given. 


End file.
